If there is one major change in society currently it is our awareness of picking up “germs”.
Germs are tiny little body-invaders that can cause sickness and disease. Germs can be bacteria, viruses, fungi or protozoa and they love making a home in our body through any entry portal they can find.
Viruses like COVID need us to survive. They need our living cells to keep them alive so they are very efficient body-invaders and they are prepared to change themselves in small ways to ensure their survival. Omicron is an example of this change, or mutation, of the COVID virus.
Vaccinations are designed to create an immunity within the body for particular viruses. Many of us have been having the influenza vaccination year after year because it helps build an immunity to whatever is currently in circulation under the category of “flu”.
Vaccinations to address something in our body that is affecting broad populations are all about creating a more effective community immunity. There may be side effects if you have the vaccination because every medication has side effects which will affect some but not all people. The side effects are considered a necessary evil because the benefit of having the medication generally far outweighs the alternative.
Whether you believe in the medical intervention to boost your immunity to COVID and decide to be vaccinated is a personal choice. I have chosen to have my two injections plus my booster shot in addition to taking the four steps below.
So how do we boost our immune system “naturally”? Sounds simple but it is challenging to achieve.
The first three steps are what we need to do and the fourth step is how to do it.
- Eat a healthy diet
- Get into a good sleeping pattern
- Do your “body-housekeeping” and this means regular, appropriate exercise
- Create habits by developing rituals which will make everything so much easier.
Rituals are behaviours that we set up to keep us on track. We all have them in many aspects of our life. The trick is to get rid of rituals that make us anxious and unhappy and replace them with rituals that make healthy habits easier to adhere to.
For example, finding a place where you can exercise safely and where you have positive social interactions will start a ritual-reaction of when you will go to exercise, how often you will exercise, how long your session will be, whom you might meet and talk to, and how you will expect to feel.
I want to share an email I received from a member of the Green Apple, and my response because it spurred me to write this editorial.
“Good afternoon Victoria,
Last week I was speaking to Katrina after our Aerobics class, and I told her that I felt that Green Apple was one of the safest places to come to in Brisbane. You know that everyone has to be double vaxxed to attend. Also, with the precautions in place when using equipment plus all the other procedures that have to be in place. I feel sad for people who might not attend because they don’t feel quite as safe. However, it is a personal choice. Thank you for all you do to keep Green Apple a safe environment. We can only hope for a better change before too long. Katrina told me you would like to know my thoughts so now you do.
Regards
Sharon Ramah”
My response:
“Dear Sharon
I am so happy to receive your sentiments. It is wonderful that Katrina told you I would like to know your thoughts.
On a daily basis I wonder how I can provide our big Green Apple family with the reasons to focus on the three main things they need to do to boost their immune systems i.e. adequate sleep, a healthy diet and regular appropriate physical activity. AND to maintain their Green Apple attendance as a ritual which will not only boost their immunity, but also their mental health and their sense of being in a supportive community within the wider Brisbane community.
Sharon, keep up your wonderful efforts!”
Cheers
Victoria